


Say the word and I'll take us

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-01
Updated: 2014-06-01
Packaged: 2018-02-03 00:38:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1724771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam is a single father to a beautiful baby boy named Kai and Zayn is his very attractive and distracting neighbour.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Say the word and I'll take us

**Author's Note:**

> I'm no longer in the 1d fandom but I have a lot of fics on my laptop that I've spent writing and I feel like it's a waste of my time to delete them. However, I have no intention of finishing them, sorry.

It's squealing from the monitor beside his head on the pillow that pulls Liam from his sleep. There's a vague memory of a phone call from his mum and falling asleep to Kai’s soft snores.

"Daddy’s coming." He calls, slipping on some sleep pants and an old band shirt.

Liam heads out of his room and into the small box room opposite. Kai stands in his crib, chubby fingers circled around the bars as he bounces up and down. His blonde hair is flat on one side from where he’s slept and Liam can’t stop the smile spreading across his lips as bright blue eyes beam up at him.   
  
"Morning baby." He says, reaching in to the crib. "How'd you sleep?"  
  
Kai begins babbling instantly, only a few words slipping through that Liam actually understands. Liam nods when he thinks appropriate, while changing Kai’s nappy for a clean one. The doorbell goes just as Liam's doing Kai's baby grow back up and he hitches the toddler on his hip, as heads through the apartment to answer it.  
  
"Louuuu." Kai drawls as Liam opens the door, somehow spotting Liam's best friend behind what seemed to be a potted plant.  
  
"Hey K-bean." Louis’ voice greets. "How's my favourite Godson?"  
  
"He's your only Godson." Liam states, letting his friend inside the apartment.  
  
Louis makes a grunting noise as he places the plant on the ground. "Which is why he's my favourite."  
  
Kai makes grabby hands in Louis' direction and beams when the other lad straightens up to take him. Liam misses the days when Kai used to cling to him, unable to be out of his arms for more than a few minutes without getting whiny. Though that staged had only lasted a few months. Escpecially when Kai seemed to figure out that other people were willing to shower him with just as much affection as Liam did.  
  
"Should I ask about the potted plant?" Liam questions, heading towards the kitchen.  
  
Louis takes a few moments of fussing Kai before he answers. "Harry says I can't take care of things so I'm proving him wrong."  
  
Liam flicks the kettle down, knowing he'll need at least two cups of coffee before Louis starts making sense. Louis sets Kai in his high chair as Liam grabs a spoon from the draw and a food jar from the cupboard.  
  
"He thinks I’m not mature enough to handle a relationship." Louis sighs, letting Kai traces the tattoo on his arm as his eyes wander over to his best friend.   
  
"And this plant is what?" Liam questions, grabbing two cups from the cupboard.  
  
"It's off that film _'how to lose a guy in ten days'_ or something." Louis shrugs.  
  
Liam raises an eyebrow, he knows his best friend and he knows he's seen that film at least seventeen times. Countless times Liam had come home from work, to Louis asleep on the couch with Kai and that film playing in the background.  
  
"Fine." Louis huffs. "Apparently if I can't take of our plant, it's like a metaphor for me not being able to take care of his heart."  
  
"And when was the last time you watered this plant?" Liam asks, filling up one cup with tea and the other with coffee.  
  
Louis’ eyes widen and tugging his arm from Kai's grip to run back in to the living room. Liam darts his eyes over to his son, calculating his reaction. Kai’s lip pouts out for a moment but he soon distracts himself with his own feet, kicking them out from under the table of the high chair.  
  
Liam puts the cups on the table, far enough from Kai’s reach, just as Louis tumbles back in to the room. He dumps the plant on the table and looks around frantically.  
  
"There's a jug beneath the sink." Liam tells him.  
  
A small giggle echoes the room as Liam makes a face at his son, trying to interoperate how mental his uncle Louis is. Louis fills up the jug to the brim and then pours the entire contents in to the pot of the plant.  
  
"Are you trying to drown it?"  
  
Louis huffs, dropping himself in to the chair beside Kai. "At least if it drowns, he'll know I loved It."  
  
"I'm sure that's how it works." Liam snorts.  
  
There's a glare sent in his direction and Liam holds his hand up in defense. Louis reaches out for his tea, sipping at it as he stares at his drowNing plant. "Me and Ni think we've found you the perfect guy."  
  
Liam clears the leaves just as Kai goes to reach for them, pushing the plant out of his son’s reach. Kai’s at that age now, where everything has to be inspected by his mouth as well as his hands. Instead he offers the toddler one of his toys, biting back a smile when the first thing Kai does is put the stuffed dogs paw in to his mouth.

"I don't need a date, Lou."  
  
"It's been over a year, Li." Louis reminds him. "It's okay for you to find someone. Beth would want you to, she told you to."  
  
Louis frowns after he says it, like he knows he’s already put his foot in his mouth. They had made a pact, not to mention her name, not until Kai was old enough to understand or Liam was ready to move on with his life. Truth is, he doesn't think he'd ever truly move on.  
  
"Beff." Kai says around the dog’s paw, bright blue eyes looking at Liam expectantly.  
  
Louis’ eyes widen. "Shit."  
  
"Titt." Kai grins.  
  
"Crap....shit...fuck." Louis shakes his head. "Li."  
  
Liam puts his hand over his friend’s mouth, letting a laugh slip through his lips. Kai picks up on his father’s laugh, causing him to let out his own. Louis cracks under Liam's hand, laughing loudly.  
  
The three of them take at least ten minutes to calm down. It seemed every time one of them would stop laughing either Louis or Kai would giggle and they'd all start up again. Liam grabs Kai’s food jar once he'd calmed down enough, settling himself in the chair the other side of his son.  
  
"This guy's really Nice." Louis concedes. "You should at least give him a chance."  
  
"You've already told him I’ll go on date, haven't you." Liam says, scooping some rice pudding in to Kai’s mouth.  
  
Louis suddenly finds his tattoo just as appealing as Kai had moments ago. "Maybe."  
  
"You're the worst, Louis Tomlinson."  
  
~~~  
  
The date is planned for the next Night, which is a Saturday. Which means it's almost impossible for Liam to get a sitter. Louis, who was supposed to babysit in order for this date to happen, had come down with a sudden case of the flu. Which meant Harry couldn't babysit in order to take care of him. Liam curses their names under his breath, hoping the bloke wouldn't be to upset that he has to cancel.  
  
"Da." Kai says from the floor, as Liam paced, not knowing what to do.  
  
After a long talk with Louis about the guy and how similar he and Liam are, he'd actually got pretty excited for a Night of not watching ‘In the Night garden’ and instead having some actual adult conversation.  
  
"Looks like Daddy’s not going out after all, little man." Liam sighs, collecting Kai up from the floor.  
  
Kai frowns, poking at the corner of Liam's mouth until his lips turn up. The toddler smiles, satisfied. A knock comes from the door and Liam takes a deep breath, ready with his excuse. Though when he pulls open the door, it's not who expects standing behind.  
  
"Oh." He says.  
  
"We'll I’ve had better greetings." Zayn grins.  
  
"Sorry, sorry." Liam shakes his head, trying to smile. "Did you need something?"  
  
The other lad holds out the stain remover he had borrowed a week previous, with a small smile. "I finally got around to cleaNing the Chinese stain from the floor."  
  
Kai starts fussing, as he always does when someone's attention isn't immediately on him. Zayn obliges, poking at the youngsters stomach until he lets out a loud shrill of delight. Liam smiles a little, bouncing Kai even though he isn't fussing anymore.  
  
"I owe you one." Zayn says, winking at Kai and smiling at Liam before turNing on his feet.  
  
It's not until Liam has closed the door and Kai is looking up at him with curious eyes, that he gets a brain wave. He questions himself on it first but then his dick seems to make the choice for him. Liam hadn't got laid since Kai was born and there's only so much time you can spend in the shower, with a screaming one year old wanting all of your attention.  
  
"He said he owed us, right?" He asks, opeNing the door.  
  
Kai babbles something that makes no sense but Liam takes that as an agreement. He makes his way across the hallway to the door opposite, easily holding Kai with one arm as he knocks. Zayn opens the door almost instantly, wide grin covering his face.  
  
"Are you busy toNight?" Liam asks before Zayn could speak.  
  
Zayn shrugs. "If ordering an Indian for one and watching the iron man trilogy is busy."  
  
Kai pokes at his father's cheeks, giggling in delight when Liam bats his hands away. "You know I wouldn't ask unless I was really desperate, right?"  
  
"What is it, Liam?" Zayn asks, frown now covering his features.  
  
Liam sighs, not knowing how to ask without sounding rude. "I..Uh..I...was wondering.."  
  
Kai’s grumbling now, annoyed that Liam's not paying attention to him. He turns to Zayn, reaching his hands to be taken. The other lad doesn't oblige, his eyes to focused on Liam's stuttering form. That's when the crying starts, it's fake, Liam knows from experience. Kai has only three cries. One, when he's hurt himself and needs soothing, a second, when he's tired and a third, when he's trying to get attention.  
  
"Shh, babe." He sighs.  
  
Zayn's attention is on the toddler now, rubbing a soothing hand up and down his back. "You okay buddy?"  
  
Kai’s smile is back instantly, basking in all the attention. Then he's reaching out his hands in Zayn's direction, chubby hands opeNing and closing. “’ake."  
  
"He wants you to hold him." Liam says when Zayn looks in his direction.  
  
Zayn nods, taking Kai from Liam's grip and in to his own. Kai settles, playing with the drawstring on Zayn's hoodie. "What was it you wanted?"  
  
Liam shakes his head, eyes on his son. "It doesn't matter."  
  
"You wanted something, Liam." Zayn says. "Look, you've helped me a lot over the past year. Whatever it is, I’m sure I can do it."  
  
There's such security in his voice that Liam blurts. "Could you watch Kai for me toNight?"  
  
"Of course." Zayn replies without hesitation. "Was that it?"  
  
"A-are you sure?"  
  
"Of course I’m sure." Zayn snorts. "It's alright if I order my food to yours, right?"  
  
Then he's stepping out of his apartment, shutting the door behind him while balancing Kai on his hip. It's a testament to how safe their building is that Zayn doesn't even lock his door.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Liam stumbles over his own foot trying to head back in to his own apartment. "Kai's already eaten so you don't have to feed him anything."  
  
"Is he okay to watch Iron man?"  
  
"He loves it." Liam says, turNing his attention to Kai. "Show Zayn you're iron man pose, little man."  
  
Kai keeps his eyes on his dad as he tilts his chin in the air, holding his arms behind his back, almost falling out of Zayn's grip. Zayn grins, sitting down on the couch with the toddler now in his lap.  
  
"Looks like my plans for the Night haven't changed then." He says, letting Kai hold on to his fingers as he stands on Zayn's thighs.  
  
Liam's collecting toys up from the floor, pulling out his own iron man trilogy from the DVD collection. "You're a lifesaver."  
  
"Where you heading anyway?"  
  
"You know Louis?" Liam asks, already knowing the answer. Everyone in their building knows Louis because--  
  
"The small lad who almost set the entire building on fire?"  
  
Liam nods, trying not to laugh. That one time Kai had gone to visit Liam's parents. Louis and Harry had got a bit too excited over having Liam all to themselves for a weekend. All he knows is not to let Louis, vodka and a lighter anywhere near each other, ever again.  
  
"He set me up on a date with this guy that he knows." Liam explains as he heads in to the bedroom to collect his coat. "Anyways, he was supposed to babysit so I could go but the idiot got himself sick and I was going to abandon going all---"  
  
Zayn's frowNing when Liam returns to the living room.  
  
"What? Have you changed your mind?"  
  
The other boy shakes his head, eyes falling to Liam's feet. "You're missing a sock."

Liam lets an embarrassing squeak, causing a small giggle to come from Kai. He jogs back in to his room, pulling a sock from his draw, not caring if it matches the one on his foot. There's a knock on the door, just as he's hopping back in to the living room, trying to pull the sock on.  
  
Zayn's flicking through his phone, ordering what Liam assumes to be his Indian. Liam pulls his brown military boots from the shelf, tugging them on to his feet.  
  
"I won't be long." Liam says, coming over to the couch to kiss his son.  
  
"Be as long as you want." Zayn tells him. "We'll be just fine, won't we Kai?"  
  
Kai nods when Zayn mimics him to, even though he has no idea what he's agreeing too.

Liam smiles, pressing another kiss to his son's cheek. "I love you, baby."  
  
"Da." Kai squeezes at his father's cheeks affectionately.

Liam makes a face until Kai laughs and releases his grip. With a reassuring nod from Zayn, he walks over to open the door, smiling at the man that stood behind it.

~~  
  
The date doesn't go terrible but it doesn't go great either. The guys name is Thomas, he's sweet, attractive and everything Liam should be interested in. Everything he would have been interested in before Kai. Before he stopped looking at men as people to hook up with and started looking at them as possible step-fathers for his son.  
  
That’s probably why when he’s half way through the date and Thomas goes to the toilet, he finds himself texting Zayn.  
  
 _Howss Kaiii?!?!?  
  
He's fine. Is your date really that boring? Or are you that concerned I can't take care of your son?  
  
_ Liam frowns, checking over his shoulder to make sure Thomas wasn't returNing from the bathroom. _  
  
Bit offf bothhh.  
  
_ Thomas has returned from the bathroom and is eyeing the dessert menu when Liam's phone buzzes with a reply. Liam offers an apologetic look but Thomas just brushes him off, keeping his eyes on the menu. _  
  
Need an out?_

 _No thankss. Be homee soonn.  
_  
They order dessert, and make easy conversation as they wait. Liam can see how Thomas could be Louis and Louis’ friend. He's easy to talk to, friendly. Almost too friendly, he's the type of guy you have a casual relationship with. Which is understandable, he's barley scraping twenty. Liam's twenty two, with an almost two year old son, who needs a stable home to grow up in.  
  
Liam, thinks he could easily go home with Thomas, have sex with him and still be able to get home in time to let Zayn go home. When Thomas asks _'where to?'_ when they get in the cab, his heart seems to make the decision for him. The thought of sleeping with some guy and then going to kiss his son goodnight, makes him feel dirty.  
  
As the cab pulls up to his apartment block, he's itching to be inside. Though he's gentleman enough not to tell Thomas no, when he asks the cabby to wait. He even allows the other lad to get in a cheeky kiss once he's walked Liam to the door of his building.  
  
"I'll see you around." Thomas says, leaving Liam with a soft parting smile as he turns on his foot.  
  
Liam waits to see Thomas climb back in to the cab before he heads inside. Once he gets inside of his apartment, the drain of the night actually hits him. He can't bite back the smile to find two sleeping bodies on the couch, the menu for iron man 2 playing on loop on the TV, the mute button pressed.

Kai's back is pressed to Zayn's side, his head resting on Zayn's arm, little hand gripping to Zayn's wrist loosely. Zayn's laid along the full length of the couch, socked feet hanging over the arm, snores leaving his parted lips. What get's Liam is how his one arm is draped over Kai’s tiny waist, the other holding Kai’s foot. Liam stands there for a moment, taking in the scene before him. He’s not sure how to take how it makes him feel warm and fuzzy inside.

It takes a moment and a little noise Kai makes (that usually means he's deep enough sleep to be dreaming) for Liam to move across the room and switch the TV off. He goes back to the couch, gently removing Zayn's arm so he can pick up his son. Kai’s form is completely limp as Liam rests him against his chest. Zayn's eyes flutter but Liam makes a gentle shhing noise as he heads across the apartment, towards Kai’s bedroom.  
  
"Night, baby." He whispers, after tucking Kai in to his crib. "I love you."  
  
Zayn's sitting more upright on the couch when he comes back in the living room, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "How was he?"  
  
"A terror." Zayn grins sleepily. "As always."  
  
Liam drops down on the couch with an exhausted sigh. "I owe you one."  
  
"No, no." Zayn stands, pulling his shoes back on his feet. "You've done enough for me."  
  
"Lending you cleaning stuff now and again, isn't the same as taking care of my terror for a Night."  
  
"You've done more than that." Zayn sighs, sitting back on the couch. "There was that time you helped with my rent 'cause I was struggling. Or that time you almost punched my twat of an ex for yelling at me. Or that time you collected my mail for entire week because I was down visiting my mum. Or--"  
  
Liam puts his hand up. "If I say we're even, will you let me sleep."  
  
"You're night really that bad?" Zayn asks, fingers lost his quiff. It has this little blonde streak at the front that Zayn hates. It had been an experiment his best friend Perrie had done, as part of her beauty course at Uni. Liam likes it, it shows Zayn's personality. He thought it looked especially good in the morning, not styled, and lost under a messy fringe that fell flat against his forehead.  
  
"Sorry?" Liam asks, trying to pull himself away from his thoughts.  
  
"You're date, was it terrible?"  
  
"No terrible." Liam shakes his head. "Not worth spending a Night away from Kai."  
  
He feels himself slipping more in to the comfort the couch provides. The weight beside him lifts, pulling Liam back towards consciousness. Zayn's stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, eyeing the door like he's not sure he should leave. When Zayn starts to shuffle more towards the door, he feels the need to stop him.   
  
"I...uh.." He starts. "Have Iron man 3 and ice cream?"  
  
Zayn raises his eyebrows.  
  
"It's not even ten." Liam says. "Please don't let me become a sad single father before my time."  
  
Zayn chuckles, kicking off his shoes by the door. "It had better be good ice cream."  
  
"Ben and Jerry's." Liam grins, jumping up from the couch to collect it from the kitchen.

~~~  
  
Liam wakes the next morning with an elbow awkwardly placed in his back and little fingers poking at his cheek. He grumbles for a minute until Kai calls his name and his eyes fly open.  
  
"Owwie." Kai says, trying to show Liam his foot without falling over.  
  
"How are you out of your crib?" Liam says, trying not wake Zayn who was currently using his legs as a pillow.  
  
Kai shakes his head, tears filling his eyes now. "Owwie. Da."  
  
"Kai, did you climb out of your crib?" Liam panics.

He moves this time without a care for Zayn, too worried about his son who could possibly have a broken foot. Kai whines when Liam lifts him from the ground, trying to reach for his foot.  
  
Zayn grumbles, stretching out on the couch. "What's going on?"  
  
"Kai..." Liam's in full paNic mode now. "Babe, what hurts?"  
  
Kai’s got tears streaming down his cheeks. This isn't fake crying, this is real crying, this is ' _daddy it hurts, make it stop'_ crying. Liam's trying to comfort his son and not freak out at the same time.  
  
"Hey.." Zayn's at his side now. "Hey, Kai. What happened, buddy? You hurt your foot?"  
  
Kai buries his face in to his dad's shoulder, tears now wetting Liam's neck. Zayn's hand is on Liam's lower back, rubbing soothing circles. The other stroking the back of Kai’s head gently.  
  
"My car's out front and the hospital’s not that far of a drive."  
  
Liam doesn't argue, just keeps a tight grip on Kai as he slips on his shoes. Zayn pops across to his apartment to grab his car keys and Liam's trying to soothe Kai without jostling him too much. Zayn leads him with a hand on his lower back, trying to whisper soothing words. Liam is to freaked out and it's not that Kai hasn't hurt himself before. Kai was an active baby, had been since he was old enough to crawl, always having a little bump here or a bruise there. It had always happened when Liam was watching, which meant he could judge the damage done. It usually wasn't worth a hospital trip and it usually didn't happen because Liam hadn't being paying attention.  
  
Liam keeps Kai on his lap as they drive to the hospital, trying to keep the boys foot elevated so it couldn't hurt it more than it already did. Zayn drops Liam off at the front doors, claiming he'll find a place to park and then come inside. Liam rushes towards the desk, barley able to stumble out what's wrong withKai. The nurse has him fill out a form and sit in a waiting room, the request alone has his blood boiling.  
  
He attempts to sit Kai on a chair as he fills out the form but the toddler is having none of it, clinging to Liam in the way Liam had wished only two days previous. Liam sighs, clutching Kai to his chest and rocking gently until the little boy had stopped crying in pain. Zayn appears only a few moments later, slipping in to the chair beside Liam.  
  
"You okay buddy?" He hushes Kai, stroking the toddler's back gently.  
  
Kai sNiffles, tighteNing his grip on Liam and burying his face further in Liam's neck. Zayn takes the clipboard from Liam, filling out the information he knows. Then he stands, walking back over to the nurse on reception, who mumbles something to him. Zayn only nods his head in Liam's direction, gesturing for him to come over.  
  
"Just page Doctor Riach and tell him that Zayn wants to see him." Zayn says to the nurse.  
  
Liam bounces Kai gently, holding a tight grip around the youngster’s lower leg, not to move it about too much. Kai’s only sNiffling now, his face still buried in Liam's neck.  
  
The nurse sighs but does as told. Zayn's hand is back on Liam's lower back, rubbing soothing circles that makes Liam calmer than he'd like to admit. A few minutes later a doctor appears, smiling as he spots Zayn.  
  
"What do I owe this pleasure?"  
  
Zayn tugs Liam in to his side. "We think he's broken his foot climbing out of his crib."  
  
The doctor frowns, walking closer until he's in front of Kai. "Hey, little buddy. Is your foot hurting?"  
  
Kai turns his head, his face resting against Liam's chest. "Owwie."  
  
"Can I look?" Doctor Riach asks softly.  
  
Kai shakes his head, turNing it back in to his dad's neck. Doctor Riach looks up at Liam for conformation, who only nods, anything to make sure Kai was okay. The doctor runs his hand down Kai’s lower leg as gently as possible, using his other hand to check over Kai’s foot. Liam winces when Kai cries out in pain, kissing his head in attempts to soothe him.  
  
"It looks fractured to me." Riach says. "It'll probably need a cast but I’ll do an x ray to be sure."  
  
Liam nods, taking back grip of Kai’s leg when the doctor lets go.  
  
"This is the last time, Malik." Riach turns to Zayn, winking to show he's joking.  
  
Zayn only smiles softly, keeping his hand on Liam's back as Doctor Riach leads them out of the waiting room. Liam sits on the bed, with Kai on his lap. Doctor Riach mentions something about checking the X ray machine is free before disappearing. Zayn's whispering things to Kai, trying to make the little boy at least smile. Kai is stubborn and only frowns harder, turNing his face away from Zayn.  
  
Zayn sighs and Liam rubs Kai’s back gently. "How often do you bring people here?"  
  
"Not that often." Zayn shrugs. "I'm quite accident prone."  
  
"That how you know the doctors by name?"  
  
"Nah." Zayn shakes his head, looking at some of the pictures on the wall. "Danny's an old friend, we went to medical school together."  
  
Liam wants to ask how Zayn went from being a medical student to a broke waiter. After the Night they spent together, he suddenly wants to know a lot more about Zayn. More than the fact he likes Marvel movies, or he almost always spills his dinner on his cream carpet. Liam wants to ask Zayn where came from, who and what made him who he is today. If Kai wasn't upset in his arms, he probably would.  
  
Doctor Riach comes back in a few minutes and they head off to the x ray room. Zayn hangs back in the other room. Kai cries the entire time he has the x ray. First because he doesn't want to let go of Liam, next because Dr Riach has to maneuver his foot and it hurts. Liam doesn't breathe properly until the entire ordeal is over. Until he has Kai back in his arms, clutching at him like he's the one to take the pain away.  
  
~~~  
  
They spend the rest of the day at the hospital, looking at the x rays and having Kai’s fitted for a cast. Kai’s asleep by the time they're back in Zayn's car and driving home. Liam still has yet to let him go, holding him in his lap in the passenger seat. When they finally get back in to their building, he's exhausted. All he has the energy for is to offer Zayn a small _'thank you'_ as they head in to their separate apartments.  
  
But because Liam's life is never easy, he has Louis jumping on him as soon as he walks through the door. It wakes up Kai, who instantly cries. Liam hushes him, ordering Louis to sit on the couch as he takes Kai in to his room, to put him down for a nap.  
  
Louis’ frowning when he returns to the living room. "Why is my Godson wearing a foot cast? Who the hell did you have watch him last Night?"  
  
"Zayn watched him." Liam says, grabbing Louis by the shirt when he makes a beeline for the door.  
  
"What are you doing!? I'm gonna murder that asshole!"  
  
"No, you're not." Liam pulls him down on to the couch. "Zayn watched him last night, and Kai hurt his foot climbing out of his crib this morning."  
  
"I told you it was time for him to have a big boy bed."  
  
Liam sighs. "He's not even two."  
  
Louis rests his on Liam's shoulder. "Our little boy's growing up."  
  
Liam closes his eyes, dreading the thought. He wants his bright eyed baby boy back, the same one who had wrapped his entire hand around Liam's finger the day he was born. "I wish she was here."  
  
"Me too." Louis sighs. "He's a lot like her, isn't he?"  
  
"Stubborn, mischievous, loveable." Liam nods. "I don't think there's a part of her personality he didn't inherit."  
  
There's a moment of silence, the sounds of Kai's little snores the only thing filling the tiny apartment.  
  
"How was your date?" Louis asks softly.  
  
"It wasn't terrible." He replies and then. "It wasn't great either."  
  
"Thomas is a nice lad." Louis hums.  
  
"It didn't feel right." Liam admits to the only person he knows will understand.  
  
Louis moves his arm around his friend, resting his chin on Liam's shoulder. "You'll find him one day and he'll be so perfect."  
  
One day, he thinks. One day he'll find someone who loves him and Kai. With that thought in mind, he falls asleep in the comfort of his best friend’s arms, the stress of another day of raising Kai over.

~~~  
  
Liam doesn't have contact with Zayn for two weeks after the day at the hospital. Somehow they keep missing each other, either Liam's at work when Zayn pops by (Louis had told him he'd popped by to check up on Kai, even brought Kai an iron man toy to cheer him up) or Zayn's to busy trying to keep a roof over his head, to answer Liam's offer of a proper thank you.

Kai’s been grizzly for the past two weeks, not liking that he can't walk around on his own without support. Liam's tried his best, making sure he's there whenever Kai wants to go somewhere. It's hard, when he comes in from a long day at work and all Kai wants is to have support to walk around the apartment.

When he comes in on a Friday of the second week, after his boss had been on his ass all day over one tiny mistake, he thinks it's best to get Kai out of the apartment.

It ends with Liam taking Kai to the restaurant Zayn works at. It isn't Zayn who serves them, it's a young girl with blonde hair and charm that puts Louis Tomlinson to shame. Zayn does spot them across the restaurant once the girl's taken their order. It takes a moment to come over, the restaurant is pretty full, but he does eventually.  
  
Kai’s already getting fussy, wriggling in the high chair the girl had provided. Zayn grins at Liam as he approaches, covering Kai’s  little eyes with one of his hands. Kai reaches up to tug the hand away and Zayn lets him, the little boy instantly beaming when he notices it’s Zayn.  
  
"Zaaahhh." Kai drawls, still unable to comprehend the whole word.  
  
"Hey buddy." Zayn smiles. "How’ve you been?"  
  
Kai babbles and Zayn nods as if he understands, his eyes slowly casting in Liam's direction. Liam's breath catches slightly when their eyes make direct contact. It had only been two weeks and somehow Zayn looked completely different. The once blonde quiff had now been cut short and lay unstyled upon the other lad’s head. The restaurant had a dress code for staff which meant Zayn was dressed in a white button down, along with a thin tie.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
Liam's nod is mostly mechaNical.  
  
"I've got to get back to work and I know you can't stay until closing because of Kai.."  
  
"Come to ours after?" Liam blurts.  
  
Zayn's face stools for a moment before he grins bright and wide. "I've got _The Avengers_."  
  
"We'll make a Night of it."  
  
Zayn's eyes search Liam's face and then he slowly nods, face still bright and inviting. Then he leaves without a word and Liam can feel a frown coating his expression. Kai must notice because he slaps his hand down on the high chair, making stupid noises until Liam smiles again.  
  
"Are you hungry, baby?"  
  
Kai babbles nonsense, nodding like he understands the question. Liam tickles his arm, letting out a small laugh when Kai tries to frown at him. Zayn reappears with two big sheets of paper and a pot of coloured pencils.  
  
"We don't really cater things for kids." He says. "But I had class this morning and these were left over."  
  
Liam watches the way Kai's eyes light up as the paper is placed in front of him. "Say thank you, Kai."  
  
"Tank oohhh." Kai coos, already reaching for the orange from the pot of pencils.  
  
Zayn's eyes are on him when he looks up and he can't stop the smile spreading from cheek to cheek. "Thank you."  
  
"I'll see you later, yeah?"  
  
All Liam can do is nod and try not to get distracted by how suddenly attracted to Zayn he is.  
  
~~~  
  
Liam gets Kai bathed and changed for bed in record time once they get home that night. It's not even eight when he drops on to the couch and Zayn's shift doesn't finish until half ten. Somewhere between snacking on one of Kai' raisin pots and channel hopping, he falls asleep.  
  
The couch dipping is what wakes him along with the smell of Zayn's familiar washing powder and faint cigarette smoke. As his eyes flutter open, he see's Zayn undoing the tie around his neck.  
  
"Didn't anyone ever warn you to lock your doors?"  
  
Liam closes his eyes again, humming. "Someone told me this was a safe apartment block."  
  
"Now who would tell you something as stupid as that." Zayn replies, the grin clear in his voice.  
  
"Some lad who stole my vacuum the day I moved in."  
  
Liam opens his eyes, to be met by the exact grin he was imagining. They’re faces are close, from the way Zayn has slumped himself on to the couch. The top three buttons on Zayn's shirt are open now, the tie hanging undone around his neck. The thoughts Liam had in the restaurant come rushing back and this time, he can't stop himself being distracted.   
  
"Not my fault you're only one in the entire block with one that works." Zayn whispers, like if he spoke louder it would break some kind of stoop they'd fallen in to.  
  
"It didn't mean you got to keep it." Liam jokes.  
  
"I thought we had it on a _'he who needs it'_ basis."  
  
Liam shakes his head, small laugh passing his lips. "I have a 15 month old, I always need it."  
  
Zayn beams, as if Liam had reminded of something that made him truly happy. "Kai's an amazing little thing."  
  
"You already have my vacuum.” Liam teases. “You can't take my kid too."  
  
A chuckle echoes off the walls, followed by a long yawn. Liam notices how exhausted Zayn looks and is reminded how many hours over the past two weeks he had worked.  
  
"We can do this some other time, if you're too tired..."  
  
"I'm fine." Zayn says, fighting back another yawn.  
  
Liam doesn't argue, to happy at the thought of spending a few more hours with the other lad. It takes him tying to get his entire body to wake, for him to take the DVD from Zayn and crawl across the room to put it on. Zayn looks half asleep when he drops back down on the couch but Liam doesn't say anything. He especially doesn't say anything when Zayn's head falls down against his arm.  
  
The films barley started when Kai's little voice calls from the other room. Liam glances down at Zayn whose eyes are half open, staring at the screen. Liam really doesn't want to move but Kai calls again, this time with a crack in his voice that tells Liam he's had a Nightmare.  
  
"I'll be right back." He whispers, grateful when Zayn moves.  
  
Kai's sat in his crib when Liam enters, scowling at his cast foot like it was the reason he'd had the Nightmare. Liam knows Kai hasn't noticed his presence and that's confirmed when Kai chocks on a sob before calling his father's name again.  
  
"I'm here sweetheart." Liam says gently, reaching in to the crib.

Louis had attempted several times to get Liam to go shopping for a toddler bed. Liam had been busy at work, that's what he told Louis anyway. Even though it was mostly that he’s still battling with the part of him, that doesn’t want to let Kai grow up just yet.  
  
Kai clings to him the instant he's lifted out, sNiffling in to Liam's collarbone. "Cry."  
  
"I heard you baby." Liam hushes. "Did you have a nightmare?"  
  
Kai nods and Liam rubs a soothing hand over his back. "Where's gummy?"  
  
A quick glance around and he finds the teddy with the chewed arm on the floor. Kai had a great attachment to it and so did Liam, for different reasons. The name _'gummy'_ had been something Louis had started calling it when Kai decided to use the toy as his own personal teething ring. The more the name irritated Liam, the more Louis and Harry would use it. Once Kai was old enough to recognize things like names, the name for the toy had stuck.  
  
"What's he doing on the floor?" Liam frowns, bending down to pick up the teddy while keeping a tight grip on Kai.  
  
Kai doesn't answer but he does take the toy when Liam hands it to him, instantly putting the chewed hand in to his mouth as his watery eyes look up at his father. Liam runs his fingers through Kai's hair, rocking him gently in hopes to get him back to sleep. Kai's having none of it, blue eyes just watching Liam as they sway. Usually Liam would just take him back in to his room, let the toddler sleep on his chest. Only he has a half sleeping Zayn on the couch and he'd really like to get back to not cuddling with him.

"Is everything okay?" Zayn asks, suddenly appearing in the doorway to Kai's tiny room.

Liam opens his mouth to answer but Kai reaching out for Zayn has him stunned in to silence. Kai usually refuses other people when he's upset. Not even Louis has priority over Liam when Kai's upset and Louis usually has priority because he spoils Kai the most. Normally Kai screams bloody murder until the person hands him back to Liam.  
  
Zayn's hesitant, calculating Liam's facial expression with what he should do. Liam pushes a reassuring smile to his lips and loosens his grip on Kai, to allow the other lad to take him.  
  
"Hey buddy." Zayn says softly, adjusting Kai in his grip.  
  
Kai keeps a tight grip of his bear in one hand as he begins to play with the neckline of Zayn's shirt with the other. That's when Liam notices Zayn had got rid of the tie completely and an extra few buttons had been undone on his shirt.  
  
"How about we heat up some milk?" Liam questions, trying to keep his focus on his son.  
  
Kai nods slowly, letting his head come down to rest on Zayn's shoulder. Liam leans in to press a kiss to his son's hair, trying to ignore the way his hand brushes Zayn's arm as he passes out of the room.  
  
"Did daddy scare the monsters away?" He hears Zayn ask as they follow behind him. Kai must shake his head because Zayn's voice is fake shocked when he says. "Well we'll have to make sure we do that before we go back to bed won't we."  
  
Liam tries to bite back the smile but it seems impossible. Instead he busies himself making Kai some warm milk in a sippy cup. Zayn leans against the counter, with a now half asleep Kai clutched in his arms.  
  
"I'd kill for a cuppa." He says.  
  
Liam nods, reaching for two cups from the cupboard. "Sugar?"  
  
"Nah."  
  
A quick glance over his shoulder has Liam stopping his movements. Zayn's got one hand rubbing soothing circles on Kai' back as the other holds him in place. The older boy is humming softly, almost so softly that Liam can't hear. Liam strains his ears, making out the chorus of a Snow Patrol song. Kai's eyes are closing, head lulling against Zayn's shoulder. Liam's breathe catches at the sight. He gets the same feeling he had when he saw them on the couch the other night, only this time much stronger.

It takes him a few moments to get back to what he was doing. Trying his best not to think too hard on how his feelings for Zayn had changed in such a short period of time. They'd known each other for over a year, since the day Liam had moved in. Zayn had lived in the building for only a few months before that. At first they were neighbors, offering assistance here and there. Then they made short conversation, as they came in from work or when Zayn came to borrow something he needed. They'd gone from strangers to friends to....that's where Liam stops himself.

Kai's small snores are coming from across the room, his face pressed to Zayn's neck. Liam makes quick of pouring two cups of tea and then Kai's sippy cup with milk. When he attempts to remove his son from Zayn's arms, the toddlers grip only tightens, not wanting to move.  
  
"He's fine." Zayn reaches his free arm up to grip Liam's. "Carry my tea for me?"  
  
Then he lifts himself from the counter and heads out of the kitchen in to the living room. Liam tucks Kai's sippy cup between his arm and stomach and follows with the two teas. Zayn's settled himself back on the couch, with Kai now turned sideways on his lap. The little boy's eyes are half open but Zayn's swaying slightly where he's sat, causing them to flutter closed again.  
  
Liam puts the tea on the coffee table and the sippy cup on Kai's lap. He settles on the other side of the couch, unable to tare his eyes away. Zayn's got his head resting on Kai's, his gaze back on the TV. Liam tries to turn his attention back to the film but he can't stop himself from looking back in their direction.

~~~  
  
The next morning Liam wakes up to whispers and giggles. The bed beside him dips and soon he has a face full of hair with a small weight settling on his stomach.  
  
"Da." Kai giggles delighted.  
  
Liam blinks his eyes open to be greeted by his son's beaming face and he can't stop the fond smile he returns. "Morning, baby."  
  
"It's Louis and Kai day." The head of hair explains. "You have to go and do grown up stuff."  
  
A list of things cross his mind that Liam could do without a one year old constantly tugging on his sleeve. Most of them involve drinking beer and watching sport.  
  
"You're stealing my son?"  
  
“Harry's mad at me." Louis says. "Kai's my white flag."  
  
Liam snorts, his friends had the strangest relationship. "Just remember the rules."  
  
Louis nods. "No leaving him to have S-E-X and no arguing in front of him."  
  
"Da." Kai slaps his hands down on Liam's chest. Liam lifts his hand that's not around Louis to tug Kai down towards him, plastering kisses all across the little boys face.  
  
Louis lets them have their moment until he gets impatient and sits up. Sometimes Liam wonders if Louis ever matured past the age Kai is now. "Time to go, Kai."  
  
Liam gets a kiss to Kai cheek just in time before Louis is standing from the bed, tugging the toddler with him. "Come pick him up later?"  
  
"How late?" Liam yawns.  
  
"Just make it before he has to go to bed." Louis shrugs.  
  
Liam nods and blows a kiss to them before they disappear out of the room. Then he grabs the sheets, tugs them back over his half naked frame and basks in the few more hours sleep he's been given.


End file.
